California

California Believes Solar is About Much More Than Saving Energy

We support human and planetary health

Financial savings, available land or sprawling rooftops are not the only reason Californian’s support solar. We are passionate about health, and the environment. Unlike fracking, solar requires no water to operate, does not pollute and therefore puts no strain on water uses during California droughts or heat waves.

The National Renewable Energy Laboratory estimates that by 2030, with an installed capacity of 100 GW of solar power, the United States could avoid 100,995,293 CO2 emissions by replacing natural gas and coal with solar power. This means a reduction in premature mortality rates, overall health costs, and a protection of natural resources.

We support financial savings and employment

The ever-changing landscape of rural areas, desert and major cities with high electricity rates at around 18.00 cents per kilowatt-hour makes solar electricity a financially smart strategy.

As environment supporters, residents in the Los Angeles and San Francsico Bay Area care about the beauty of our state and the health of our residents.

The Government is onboard, proud that California is the Leader in the Nation in Distributed Generation with over 703,133 solar projects resulting in 5,637 MW installed, according to the Distributed Generation Statistics. The Federal Tax Credit, The Investment Tax Credit (ITC), is a 30% tax credit for solar installations, reducing tax liability. California also has many state and municipal incentives.

“Effective climate policy has been stalled for years on the premise that reducing emissions necessarily harms economic growth and employment. The explosive growth of the solar industry and other renewable energy sources, along with the continued vitality of California’s overall economy after implementing ambitious emissions reduction goals, is powerful evidence to the contrary. Having reliable employment figures from trusted sources like The Solar Foundation helps move the debate forward and builds momentum to continue our efforts to build a clean energy future.

–Kevin de León, California Senate President Pro Tempore

Castro Valley Library

Along with a number of significant energy efficiency features, the County of Alameda sought to add a solar PV system to the roof of their new public library that would produce enough electricity to eliminate their PG&E bill. This modern green facility was developed in conjunction with the uncovering and restoration of Castro Valley Creek, providing an inviting indoor and outdoor space for community gathering. A vibrant hub of activity and educational opportunities, the library has also earned LEED Gold Certification.

Alameda County will receive approximately $500,000 from PG&E under its California Solar Initiative incentive program. In its first month of operation, the PV system generated enough electricity to reduce the Library’s PG&E bill from $4,300 in the previous year to $283. The solar-generated electricity will also save many hundreds of thousands of taxpayer dollars over 30 years.

Every year this system removes the equivalent of 53 cars from the road, or prevents 30,488 gallons of gasoline from being burned. It would require 58 acres of forest to sequester this much CO2 annually.

“This project (not only) used stimulus money in a responsible way to reduce global warming, but also created jobs while making the county greener.
-Carolyn Moskovitz, Library Manager

“The 880-panel solar system makes Castro Valley’s library the greenest in the Bay Area, with all of its electricity coming from the sun.
– SF Gate

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